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Category: biotech/medical – Page 8

Researchers grow 400+ brain cell types—a leap for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research

Scientists at ETH Zurich have broken new ground by generating over 400 types of nerve cells from stem cells in the lab, far surpassing previous efforts that produced only a few dozen. By systematically experimenting with combinations of morphogens and gene regulators, the researchers replicated the vast diversity of neurons found in the human brain. This breakthrough holds major promise for studying neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, creating more accurate models for drug testing, and eventually even enabling neuron replacement therapies.

Mysterious New Structure Discovered Hiding Inside Human Cells

After centuries of mapping the human body in ever-finer detail, scientists are still making discoveries. Here we are, in 2025, and a previously unknown cellular structure that could be vital to our health has just been added to the anatomy books.

The membrane-bound organelle appears to play a huge role in helping cells sort, discard, and recycle their contents. It’s called a hemifusome, and a team of scientists says it could shed new light on disease.

“This is like discovering a new recycling center inside the cell,” said biophysicist Seham Ebrahim of the University of Virginia. “We think the hemifusome helps manage how cells package and process material, and when this goes wrong, it may contribute to diseases that affect many systems in the body.”

SRS Lessens Rate of Neurologic Death vs WBRT in SCLC and Brain Metastases

In all patients, the median overall survival (OS) was 10.2 months (95% CI, 8.5−12.2); there was a total of 20 neurologic deaths compared with 64 non-neurologic deaths. Between the 2 reviewers, agreement was 98% regarding neurologic death and non-neurologic death, with disagreement requiring a tie occurring in 2%.

The 1-year and 2-year neurologic death incidence was 11.0% (95% CI, 5.8%-18.1%) and 20.3% (95% CI, 12.7%-29.1%), respectively. The trial investigators noted that the historical incidence of neurologic death with WBRT was 17.5% at 1 year and 35.2% at 2 years. The 1-year and 2-year incidence of non-neurologic death was 48.0% (95% CI, 37.9%-57.4%) and 61.7% (95% CI, 50.8%-70.8%).

Via the Fine and Gray regression analysis, age, number of brain metastases, size of largest brain metastases, presence of neurologic symptoms, presence of distant extracranial metastases, and employment of neurological resection before enrollment were not associated with neurological death (P .05 in all cases).

New brain metastases were developed by 61.0% of patients, with a 1-year estimate of 59.0% (95% CI, 48.6%-68.0%); at least 1 course of salvage stereotactic radiation was received by 39.0% of patients, with a 1-year estimate of 37.0% (95% CI, 27.5%-46.5%); WBRT was received by 22.0%, with a 1-year estimate of 21.0% (95% CI, 13.6%-29.5%); and leptomeningeal disease was observed in 9.0%, with a 1-year estimate of 7.0% (95% CI, 3.1%-13.1%).

Overall, systemic disease progression occurred in 65.0% of patients, with a 1-year estimate of 58% (95% CI, 47.6%-67.0%).

Additionally, in aggregate, at least 1 local recurrence in a metastasis treated in the study was experienced by 13.0%, with a 1-year estimate of 15.0% (95% CI, 8.8%-22.7%); the respective per-patient rates of radiographic and symptomatic necrosis were 9.0% and 5.0% in total, with 1-year estimates of 6.0% (95% CI, 2.4%-11.9%) and 3.0% (95% CI, 0.8%-7.9%), respectively.

“Despite being the historical standard, whole brain radiation might not be necessary for all patients,” stated first study author Ayal Aizer, MD, MHS, director of Central Nervous System Radiation Oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, in a press release on the study.2 “Our findings demonstrate that targeted, brain-directed radiation may be a viable treatment for patients with limited brain metastases from SCLC and potentially spare them from the [adverse] effects of whole brain radiation.”

Continue reading “SRS Lessens Rate of Neurologic Death vs WBRT in SCLC and Brain Metastases” | >

Study finds shorter therapy effective for some with drug-resistant tuberculosis

Some patients with highly drug-resistant tuberculosis could benefit from a shorter treatment with fewer drugs, while others may warrant more aggressive therapy, according to the findings of a new study led by an international group of researchers, including scientists from Harvard Medical School, and conducted across six countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.

The study is the first-ever clinical trial to focus exclusively on people with pre-extensively (pre-XDR-TB), a hard-to-treat form of the disease that is more challenging to cure than multi-drug resistant TB but not as extremely impervious to medicines as the most dreaded form of the infection known as extensively drug-resistant TB.

Pre-XDR-TB is resistant to rifampin—the most potent first-line drug used against TB—and fluoroquinolone, which thus far has been the most potent second-line TB drug.

Chinese team says carbon dioxide can be turned into sugar

“Artificial conversion of carbon dioxide into food and chemicals offers a promising strategy to address both environmental and population-related challenges while contributing to carbon neutrality,” the team said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Bulletin in May.

Reducing carbon dioxide to less complex molecules has proven successful, though the researchers said that generating long-chain carbohydrates – the most abundant substances in nature – has proven to be a challenge for scientists.

“In vitro biotransformation (ivBT) has emerged as a highly promising platform for sustainable biomanufacturing,” the team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology wrote.

Novel molecular mechanisms inform targeted therapies for chronic kidney disease

A recent study led by Paul DeCaen, Ph.D., associate professor of Pharmacology, has identified novel molecular mechanisms by which genetic mutations in the PKD2 gene cause the most common form of polycystic kidney disease, according to findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

PKD2 encodes an localized to the primary cilia of cells lining the kidney collecting ducts, a series of tubules and ducts that helps achieve electrolyte and fluid balance in the body. Both inherited and acquired mutations in PKD2 are known to cause (ADPKD), a condition characterized by the growth of fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys that can lead to and other serious complications.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, one in 1000 individuals will develop ADPKD and more than 95% of patients carry disease-causing genetic variants in PKD1 or PKD2. However, there are no available therapies that target these disease-causing variants.